Pakistan has successfully test-fired an extended-range version of its Fatah-2 hypersonic ballistic missile, the military’s media wing announced on Tuesday, marking another advance in the country’s missile programme.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the Fatah-2 Extended Range weapon system was launched in the presence of the Commander of the Army Rocket Force Command, senior army officers, and the scientists and engineers who developed it.
According to the ISPR, the system carries advanced navigation equipment and modern avionics, allowing it to strike targets with high precision. The military said the missile’s unusual flight path and manoeuvrability make it capable of getting past enemy missile defence systems, while its longer reach gives the army a greater ability to hit deep targets.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and the chiefs of the armed services congratulated the scientists and engineers behind the launch.
The test follows closely on the heels of another successful launch last week, when Pakistan tested an extended version of the indigenously built Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile. The military said at the time that the Fatah-4 could engage targets at extended ranges with high precision and lethality.
Pakistan has been steadily expanding its missile capabilities, and officials say the latest test is aimed at strengthening deterrence and the army’s conventional strike options.
The Fatah series forms a key part of Pakistan’s conventional missile arsenal, with successive versions adding range and accuracy. The successful launch of the Fatah-2 Extended Range underlines the country’s continued investment in its defence technology.
